Raising the Medicare Eligibility Age

As we all know, Medicare’s long term success isgrim.  Some have proposed graduallyraising the eligibility age from 65 to 67, pointing out that we are livinglonger now than we did when Medicare began in 1966.  Opponents of this proposed solution argue that it is unfairto the poor to make Americans wait two years to get Medicare.  They also argue that it would increasethe number of uninsured, and end up costing Americans more than it saves them. 

Please click here to view alife expectancy chart.  Whenretirement was set at age 65, the life expectacy age was less than age 65 and very few people lived to reach age 65. In fact, when social security started, the life expectancy was 61.  People were expected to work until theydied and retirement was not part of a life plan.  The age should now be 78 to match “life inflation.”

See ShouldMedicare’s Eligibility Age Be Raised?, Wall Street Journal, Sept. 6,2012.     

Special thanks to Brian Cohan (Attorney atLaw, Law Offices of Brian J. Cohan, P.C.) for bringing this article to myattention.